Schefflera actinophylla

Schefflera actinophylla is a tree in the Araliaceae family.

Schefflera arboricola and Schefflera actinophylla can be used to attract birds.

Its common name is dwarf umbrella tree, as it appears to be a smaller version of the umbrella tree Schefflera actinophylla.

Schefflera actinophylla (syn.

It lives almost completely on the leaves of a wide range rainforest trees, notably Schefflera actinophylla (the Umbrella Tree), vines, ferns and various wild fruits.

Araliaceae (e.g. Polyscias australiana, Schefflera actinophylla)

It also likes palm nuts and is particularly fond of the seeds of the native Inga laurina and the fruits of the introduced umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla).

Several species are grown in pots as houseplants, most commonly Schefflera actinophylla (Umbrella Tree) and Schefflera arboricola (Dwarf Umbrella Tree).

Schefflera actinophylla is commonly grown in mild to warm climates as a decorative tree in larger gardens and, when mature, it has bright red spikes of flowers with up to 20 racemes which develop in summer or early autumn.

Although Patē is easy to grow in New Zealand, it is not popular in cultivation, as its thin, soft foliage cannot match the glossy attractiveness of similar Pseudopanax species, nor that of the Australian species Schefflera actinophylla which is also easy to grow in the North Island.